Part 01: Embrace Your Dreams(Revision 120)

Speaking with Kunsel again after you've read the e-mails will bring you to the corridor outside of the office. Follow him to the mission registration screen, where you can register to undertake the game's many optional missions. However, the first mission is far from optional. Approach the save point nearby after registering and save your game.

Then, hit Triangle to open your menu while standing on the save point and go to Missions. From there, select the "Shinra Electric Power Company" option, and then Training Missions, and then Shinra's Basic Training. This will be your very first mission undertaken in the game, and unlike the other numerous missions in the game, this one isn't optional. This mission is extremely easy (trust us -- they get a lot harder as the game progresses) and will pit you against eight Sentries. Just hack and slash your way through them for an easy victory, and remember that you can find more in-depth information on this guide's dedicated section for Missions.

You'll win an Elixir for your efforts. Speak to Kunsel again and he'll inform you that you can grab items out of the repositories nearby, and to check them often. Check them this time for a Bronze Bangle, which you should immediately equip for an HP boost. But, don't give up on searching here, because one of the game's biggest secrets will expose itself soon. If you search the same bin twenty more times (yes, twenty), Kunsel will tell you over and over again to stop being greedy. But finally, on the twentieth attempt, your buddy relents and hands over the Cursed Ring.

The Cursed Ring is a statistical dynamo, adding +10 to all of your statistics, and raising HP, MP and AP considerably. There's a catch, of course, and that is that you can't level up with it equipped. In other words, whenever it's equipped, you're cursed and your character's growth will be stagnated; only use the Cursed Ring under the right circumstances.

When you're prepared to leave, go back into the office and speak with Angeal to get going (Lazard will be heading out with you, too).

You'll be automatically transported to Wutai, and before long, you'll find yourself under siege by a trio of Wutai Privates, who can easily be wiped out. When they are defeated, you can then begin heading down the linear pathway ahead of you. You'll have a few random encounters as you go, with Wutai Privates and Wutai Sergeants, but nothing you can't handle.

When you get far enough up the pathway, you'll experience another seemingly-random cutscene with Angeal on the subject of a fruit called dumbapples. When you regain control thereafter, simply head down the next part of the linear path to a save point. You should save your game and be sure to read the e-mail Lazard sent out. Onto the next area.

Yet another cutscene ensues here as Zack and Angeal wait for their comrades in SOLDIER to set off a diversionary detonation that will allow Zack to infiltrate the compound. Once that explosion goes off, you'll be thrust into battle with a plethora of enemies. Thankfully, all of them are quite weak. It's difficult to count how many enemies tend to appear in battles like these since they consistently regenerate, but we counted about twenty Wutai Privates, a couple of Wutai Sergeants, and four well-placed Wutai Privates on the stone wall surrounding you.

Concentrate your attacks on the ground forces first and foremost. When they've been expelled, you can then use one of the two attack spells currently available to you to take out the privates firing from afar. When they are slain, you'll quickly be put into yet another battle on the other side of the door you just breached. After a quick (and easy) battle and an equally quick phone conversation with Angeal, you'll regain control. You'll see a series of eleven stars in the upper left corner of your screen. These stars will fill in as you kill enemies (which will impress Director Lazard).

Begin your romp through the fortress by heading left down the path (to the right is a dead end). You'll see a treasure chest, so grab the Soma out of it. Then, go right down the pathway, where another battle will likely ensue (this time with two Wutai Privates accompanied by a Foulander).

Continue along the linear pathway, killing any enemies that show themselves. When three Wutai gunners show themselves and fire down the corridor before fleeing, you know you're on the right path. Go down this path and enemies will come out of a trap door to your right to attack.

Once they're slain, examine the trap door they came through for even more enemies to fight. Then, after speaking with Lazard on the phone following the latter battle, continue along the linear path. If you run into a chest with a Potion in it shortly thereafter, you're on the right path. There's also a chest with an Ether in it back a ways and to your right, in a dead end alcove. You may be excited to see a nearby treasure chest to your left after acquiring the Potion, but that chest will actually cause three Wutai Privates and a Wutai Sergeant to appear on the scene.

After slaying them, head down the path, where you'll be assaulted by two Foulanders. Further up the path, a couple more Foulanders will attack accompanied by two lesser Wutai Privates. After eliminating that enemy party, be sure to grab the Hi-Potion from the treasure chest ahead, and then round the nearby corner. Two Wutai Privates and a Wutai Sergeant will order you to come fight them. Select "Charge!" from your options.

The Privates will retreat, leaving the Sergeant a sitting duck for your attacks. Once the Sergeant is defeated, continue down the pathway. As you approach a gate leading even further into the fortress, you will be assailed by three more Foulanders. Eliminate them, and then speak to Lazard on the phone once more. When given an option, choose to move further into the fortress, but before going through the door, be absolutely sure to backtrack just a little bit and grab the Ether from the treasure chest.

Once through the door, expect more battles with the upper echelon of enemies in the area (Foulanders and Wutai Sergeants). You can go either way, and should actually go both ways in order to find treasure chests containing a Hi-Potion and some Earrings (be sure to equip the Earrings for a mild boost to your magic power). Then approach the save point in the middle of the area. Read the e-mail you get en route, and then save your game. You'll also want to heal yourself. Then, head forward to the staircase nearby.

As you do, a familiar face from Final Fantasy VII appears. This is Yuffie in her younger days, and after a humorous scene with Zack, she'll run off. This will free you up to go forward and engage in a boss battle.